Dr. Muhammad Sadiq, President, Pakistan Visionary Forum delivered a lecture a Dabistan-e-Iqbal’s Open Forum on the topic of “A proposal of reforming Pakistan’s Electoral System” on Saturday, October 15, 2016. Lecture was attended by a large of ladies, gents and youngsters belonging to various fields besides former Minister of State Qayyum Nizami and Professor Dr. Atiya Syed. Dr. Muhammad Sadiq in his speech said that Pakistan Visionary Forum (PVF) had proposed a new electoral system in a report containing recommendations to reform and improve the ruling and governing machinery of the country. The report had been prepared by PVF electoral system head Dr. Muhammad Sadiq and complemented by Pakistan People`s Party leader Qayyum Nizami while opinions from experts and experienced politicians like former National Assembly (NA) speaker Syed Fakhar Imam were also incorporated. The proposed electoral system was prepared keeping in view the weaknesses of the present electoral system, including low voter turn out – just 15 per cent to 20 per cent votes to winning party – dictation by smaller regional parties to the ruling party as a coalition partner, non-representation of 60 to 65 per cent non-voting educated class of society, vested interests of smaller parties, defensive position of larger provinces as compared to the smaller provinces on national policy making front and domination of regionalism instead of nationalism. The report recommended that 50 per cent of national and provincial assembly seats should be filled under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) system while the remaining 50 per cent on the basis of Proportional Representation (PR) system. For the FPTP purpose, all voters would be required to exercise their second vote for the non-changeable fixed lists of candidates submitted in advance by various political parties. The party lists must include the educated men or women of integrity belonging to segments of lower and middleclass of society or technocrats. Every political party at national level should be required to obtain minimum five per cent of the total votes cast and three per cent in case of provincial elections. Political parties getting more than five per cent votes in the NA elections should be entitled to seats against PR system. The recommendations had been framed with the objective of encouraging reconciliation and discouraging polarization in turbulent Pakistani society. The appointment of the chief election commissioner and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should be through consultation among the prime minister, opposition leader and the Chief Justice of Pakistan. Regarding the conduct of political parties, the report proposed evolvement of high technology for the efficiency and improvement of the ECP, integrity and suitability of the elected representatives and modus operandi for developing candidate lists, said Dr. Muhammad Sadiq.